Brawl Presence

Nobody really expected it, but it happened yesterday at Auburn Hills. Yup, there was a bench-clearing scuffle in an WNBA basketball game between Los Angeles and Detroit. The Sparkes won 84-81 victory by the Sparks, ending a five-game road losing streak.


Photo by Jerry S. Mendoza of AP shows players presence on the court and not playing basketball.

Many players and even coaches made their presence felt on the court which was captured live on television and photos going around blogosphere.

The game was done to the last 4.5 seconds when the ten players presence on left on the court changed to a fight or a scuffle which included players and coaches on the bench.

It all begun when Parker and Shock forward Plenette Pierson tangled arms as they were moving down the court. Both players to tumbled to the floor. And all hell broke loose.

Both benches were emptied. Lisa Leslie came to Parker's rescue but was pushed away by Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn, causing her to fall to the hardwood floor. DeLisha Milton-Jones of the LA Sparks then slapped Mahorn in the back. Players like Parker, Milton-Jones, Mahorn and Pierson were ejected. Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn is also ejected for pushing Sparks' Lisa Leslie. Shock player Cheryl Ford injured her knee and had to be taken away in a wheelchair

In a story published in the LA Times, WNBA President Donna Orender says, "It was clear emotions were running high. It's unfortunate that when emotions run over the top, something like this had to happen."



Photo by Jerry Mendoza of AP shows Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn as he pushes Lisa Leslie of the Sparks to the ground during a scuffle in the closing seconds of the game between the LA and Detroit in Auburn Hills, Michigan last Tuesday.

The Dark Knight

Finally, Sunday afternoon, after Mass at Rockwell Powerplant Mall, Chief and I watched “The Dark Knight.” We caught the 11:20am screening and there were still many empty seats. Unlike, when we went out a couple of hours later… there was a long line. And no Gretchen Baretto, whom we saw earlier at Figaro Coffee.

“The Dark Knight” is directed by Christopher Nolan and is based on the DC Comics character Batman. We are surprised that the Dark Knight had gone beyond Gotham City in this movie as he snatched Lau, a Chinese accountant / gangster based in HK. Reminds me of Tom Cruise in Shanghai for “Mission Impossible.”


Christian Bale again appears as Bruce Wayne and Batman. This is a sequel to “Batman
Begins” released in 2005. This is the last movie where Heath Ledger makes his presence makes on the wide screen. In this film, the Joker takes the limelight. And one can’t help comparisons with Jack Nicholson who had played The Joker in
Tim Burton's 1989 version of Batman.

Aaron Eckhart as District Attorney Harvey Dent’s character takes on a major role and eventually becomes “Two Face.” Michael Caine is Alfred and am quick to remember him in “Too Late The Hero” one of the mid-70s movie filmed in the Philippines which my dad was worked on when he was with VicNayve Productions.

Photos from www.thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/

Center to the earth

Last Saturday night, at Cinema 6, Glorietta 3, I caught a screening of "Journey to the center of the earth." Actually, I wanted to watch "Wanted." Two words in the same sentence. hehe. But I promised Chief that we would watch the latest Angelina Jolie movie together.

So, it was nearly two hours with Brendan Frasier's presence on the wide screen for the latest movie adaptation of the classic book from Jules Gabriel Vernes. Movie poster from New Line Cinema.

Brendan Frasier is Trevor Anderson, a volcanologist, who suddeny takes his nephew, Sean (played by Josh Hutcherson) on an adventure guided by Jules Verne’s book, “Journey to the center of the earth.” Trevor receives a box of momentos from Sean’s mother. Here, Trevor discovers a yoyo and an old copy of Verne’s book, with marginal notes. Like a map to the center of the earth.

They take a flight to Iceland and soon on their fall to the center of the earth, with Hannah (played Anita Briem), who charges Trevor a “per hour” rate to guide them through the mountains. Isn't Hannah sexy?

The journey takes them to Max’s cave at the center of the earth! Beyond this, I would let you watch the movie (still showing as I scribble this blog) directed Eric Brevig.
Michael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin wrote the screenplay.

I guarantee a few surprises along this journey!

Or simply read the book from Jules Verne.

Nadal's Presence

Atleast Rafael Nadal finally made his presence felt at the grass courts of Wimbeldon this year. The game was actually delayed for a couple of hours and I needed to rest and sleep early for a Quarterly Agency Review on Monday.

Through my sleep, Nadal slowly won out the match against Federer!

Rafa's win is his 5th Grand Slam win, after winning four straight French Open titles, since 2005. Federer hasn't won on this clay court. According to the program hosts, Rafa's victory in Wimbledon marks the first time a player had won both the French Open and Wimbledon on the same year. Bjorn Borg won both titles last in 1980, when I was still in the corridors of the Faculty of Arts and Letters.

The left-handed player, born in Mallorca, Spain is also just the second player from Spain to have won the Wimbledon in 42 years. Gosh, I was still a toddler then.

By the way, did you know that his uncle is a professional football player who played for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team?

Photo of Rafa from www.rafaelnadal.com/

Weekend

The weekend came and went and we didn't even feel it.

Gym Presence

Finally, I am back at Fitness First. Yahoo. Am having my first work-out since I joined EON last May 2008. It has been a couple months since I hit the bike and the threadmill and sweat. Just finished ten minutes or nearly 4 kilometers in the bike.

Now, will hit the threadmill and lift some weights. But that is NOT me in the photo below from the local Fitness First website at www.fitnessfirst.com.ph


Chief has been hitting Fitness First Plus, thrice a week consistently for the past couple of months and proudly showing off her building muscles. Good for my wife.

My cousin, Patrick, who is now here in the country, but currently in Cebu with his mom have had regular gym presence at Equinox in the Big Apple. And last Wednesday night, Chief and Patrick were comparing notes on their work-outs!

Me? Need to get back into the groove of the gym. Hopefully, work load at EON would be more of an incentive to get back my own gym presence.

Patrick

Patrick is still here in Manila, but is in Cebu City right now with his mom.